The Hats, the hats!
09.07.08 (1:33 pm) [edit]Three Minnesota Winter Hats are going out in tomorrow's mail as well as a bunch of magazine clips and a couple exhibition catalogs--including the one from the exhibition in the US Ambassador's Residence in Windhoek, Namibia. That one will go into the library collection at my alma mater along with the one they have already--from the Booth Museum show.
It's looking like we're in for some weather this afternoon. I'm out in the carport studio (just outside my regular studio through the glass doors) working on the small paintings we're doing for the High Road Tour. These are 8" x 8" and 8" x 10." They're 3" deep though, so will look professional & elegant. I'm coming up with some lovely sketches for paintings but they're really too complex for these little canvases. Today I'll try to simplify.
Missy brought in a vole this morning. It's been mostly birds this summer, speaking of which I'll need to vacuum up the feathers today.
The Soup of Life
09.06.08 (9:09 pm) [edit]Ever changing, ever challenging, it does go on. One shares one's path with a pup, an old dog, a favorite pair of new friends. Then someone moves on, they, we, both of us, all of us. Then we find new travelers for the next portion of the path.
Our best-loved couple here in Truchas is moving on to new adventures, to Florida. I know, I said the same thing. To FLORIDA?!?!? But they have a motive and it's not completely mad. Especially not after spending five of the winters we get here. And not the least of which is we WILL be visiting them in wintertime!!
Ah, but parting IS such sweet sorrow...We wish them the best but will miss them madly. Along with recent departees Little Willie and "The Big Guy" Elway.
Bon Voyage, Bon Chance;
don't forget to write.
OMG
09.05.08 (9:29 pm) [edit]No, Old Man Gloom. It was a pretty good show, once it finally got underway. The entire actual event took about half an hour and OMG burned up in about 90 seconds. No Burning Man, to be sure, but a nice pagan-inspired event in this most traditionally Catholic area. We liked it. And it was only $5 to get in.
Had to go in to Espanola today, picked up some more trim paint for the house (time to finish that up!! Before the snow!!) and we picked up our papers from the court & delivered them to t he sheriff to be served. Sigh.
By the time we got home it was really too late to get any painting going on (I need about 6 hours in a stretch) so I got up on the ladder & painted the trim on the top front of the house that's only been primed since last September! Wow! What a difference a detail makes!! First thing in the morning it's painting studio but I'll be ready to take a break by late afternoon to get up there & second coat all the trim up under the eaves. Gawd, it looks great.
Then a BBQ & Friday Martini. Our new friend Chris stopped by...the one who ran out of gas on his motorcycle in front of our place recently, he brought us a bag of Chimayo green chile. Nice. We hung for awhile & visited. He is living in his camper out in the woods. A youngster, but fun to visit with. We even plugged in the outside chile lights for awhile.
Zozobra
09.04.08 (11:14 am) [edit]Today we are going to the burning of Zozobra, a 50-foot high effigy of "Old Man Gloom." We can bring unhappy things to throw inside him before the burn so our gloom will be burned away as well. They've been doing this here for 84 years---hmmm, sound like Burning Man at all? Only this is a one-day event and people do not get to camp out and make art and go naked, etc!!
So we're making a list of other stuff to do in Santa Fe since they don't burn Gloom until dusk. Should be fun--we rarely attend any events 'cause we need to stay in the gallery...but not today!! Hmmm, I guess tomorrow or Saturday is the day for the Minnesota Winter Hats to be put in the mail.
September is falling!
09.03.08 (11:11 pm) [edit]Or Autumn, I should say. It never got over 60 degrees today, foggy, cloudy, tried to rain but not quite. Turtleneck plus sweater weather. We closed the doors and windows early this evening and made a fire...downright chilly. Predicted to be in the 30's to 40's tonight.
Then there's that slanty sun in the afternoon, characteristic of the season. Sigh. I could use another month of summer, but up here it is not to be.
Our Defiant, Vermont Castings, woodstove is great, though. We should go through much less wood for much more heat than last winter. Plus the stove is in the great room where we'll do most of our living in the cold months--so no sleeping in the icebox. We'll move the couch out in front of the stove & move the drafting table in the couch spot, maybe bring in the big 6 foot table as well if we can squeeze it in. And we can use the gallery room as there has been little traffic this summer and will be none after New Years until the spring.
Here I am talking about winter. We just got some (gifted to us, already bearing) tomato plants in Leonardo's great planter box out back. That is quite the deal, with a screened, hinged quonset on top...I'll include a picture in the next TTown post.
September is falling!
09.03.08 (11:01 pm) [edit]Or Autumn, I should say. It never got over 60 degrees today, foggy, cloudy, tried to rain but not quite. Turtleneck plus sweater weather. We closed the doors and windows early this evening and made a fire...downright chilly. Predicted to be in the 30's to 40's tonight.
Then there's that slanty sun in the afternoon, characteristic of the season. Sigh. I could use another month of summer, but up here it is not to be.
Our Defiant, Vermont Castings, woodstove is great, though. We should go through much less wood for much more heat than last winter. Plus the stove is in the great room where we'll do most of our living in the cold months--so no sleeping in the icebox. We'll move the couch out in front of the stove & move the drafting table in the couch spot, maybe bring in the big 6 foot table as well if we can squeeze it in. And we can use the gallery room as there has been little traffic this summer and will be none after New Years until the spring.
Here I am talking about winter. We just got some (gifted to us, already bearing) tomato plants in Leonardo's great planter box out back. That is quite the deal, with a screened, hinged quonset on top...I'll include a picture in the next TTown post.
House-iversary
09.02.08 (5:40 pm) [edit]We forgot our one-year anniversary of Home Ownership!! It was August 30th, the day Elway died. We forgive ourselves for forgetting, Dog Hospice was more important. But Cheers! A year!
Went up and got another load of wood this morning. This tree had been down awhile, it was pretty dry. Dry wood weighs a LOT less than wet wood so we stacked The Tonk high. A good load. I also found a whole pile of (probably) cow bones scattered about so picked up a large collection to bring home. And we scoped out a huge tree (clearly left from a tree-poacher) that we'll get next time we go.
My feet hurt and I'm tired all over (getting wood will do that) so am ready to sit a spell & work on Leonardo's gloves that go with his Minnesota Winter Hat.
PIX on Trishtown!!
09.01.08 (3:24 pm) [edit]I've finally got a new post with many pictures up on Trishtown.com.
Check it out here:
restaurant rant & doggie details
08.31.08 (11:14 pm) [edit]Went into Santa Fe today---were going to eat at Tia Sophia's, our favourite SF lunch place, but closed on Sunday. Decided to venture back to Cowgirls (which pisses us off regularly but has a cool atmosphere & good food.) We were pissed off again. I think they may have lost us for good this time. The service traditionally sucks, and this was no exception. We arrived for brunch, they were serving eggs benedict to everyone and their dog as we arrived. I LOVE eggs B. so ordered such. After a 20-minute wait--AFTER ordering--they come back and say they're no longer serving breakfast. I wanted to walk out (generally my husband does! And we HAVE walked out before at this place!!) but I chose something else & we stayed. It came without the salad dressing....to make a long story short, my husband DID NOT leave a tip. Something I'm not hesitant to do for bad experience and bad service, but he never does that. Not this time! I'm proud of him! And I did not even suggest that he not--totally his own idea. He doesn't like it when his wife is not treated properly!!
Massive, massive rain here in Truchas, in Santa Fe, for miles and miles around. It was actually flooding in SF today, holding traffic up; my Tonk floated across a couple of intersections, literally. Crazy. A couple of our other visits were curtailed because said businesses were closed on Sunday (we usually get into town on weekdays).
It was lonesome coming home. Not Willie OR the Big Guy to greet us. When I unlocked the door both kitties came out with meows of welcome home! But not the same as that wiggly butt, head in lap of big dog energy. It's so quiet around here with the both of them gone it's just positively weird.
Did we have a two-dog-down summer because we're not supposed to have dogs? Is something coming up that we must be dog-free for? I'm keeping my eyes open for a pair of doggies that are road-savvy (many hounds up here are) and can get along with and/or ignore the kitties. We had Elway, we know it can be done. I know my husband wants a dog--he's just not inclined to the inevitable grief--they will die, one day, before we do, and it will be sad and we'll have to bury them. Still. I would choose both Willie and Elway all over again, even knowing the fate and the date. I would in a heartbeat.
PS. We got leave from Elway's mom to go ahead and own him---she basically said he could be ours. Unfortunately that was only the day before he died. I'm still happy for that because I really, really wanted to put him next to Willie, and there they both are. He wanted to be here, he felt like our dog (he chose) but leave from the human is just the paperwork wrapped up.
RIP Elway
08.30.08 (10:16 pm) [edit]Elway passed away today. We buried him out back next to Willie. Today is two months to the day that we lost Willie. I know little Will was happy to see his big dog friend again and they'll keep each other company out in the soccer field. A couple of our friends who were big Elway lovers came over & helped with the, ah, arrangements. Elway was a BIG dog. Just as we were finished a huge full rainbow appeared in the sky and it made us all cry.
Elway
08.29.08 (12:27 pm) [edit]I got him to drink some water last night and this morning. I also went down to Frutoza's (his actual owner) and got his medicine...thyroid and anemia. I cooked some rice, put in a raw egg & some beef broth & his medicine but he won't touch it. Apparently he's supposed to have his meds twice a week and it's been a month. I'm seriously thinking about mixing it with water, putting it in a turkey baster & shooting it down his throat.
Uh Oh.
08.28.08 (9:25 pm) [edit]I've got a very sick dog on my hands. Elway won't drink, won't eat, can barely walk, can barely lift his head off the floor. I made a call to one of his "other mothers" and she's going to call the son of his owner (the son used to own him) and find out what can be done, what we can do, if they will pay for a vet if we volunteer to take him or can we all pitch in or what.
Elway is SUCH a sweetie and we adore him. I just hope it is not end of life issues as the poor guy is 15+ years old. Will keep you posted. His "other Mom" is on the way over to have a look at him right now. She's got 3 dogs and knows all about dog things.
In other news we took a supply run into Española today. Whilst down there we filed "those" papers with the court. We waited an entire 2 weeks since I sent the letter asking "the defendant" to reconsider and offering to split the deposit. No response. So, on we go.
Got in the studio late afternoon & early evening to dig into those neglected new paintings. The next couple few days are devoted to art studio, real estate review, and mitten knitting in the evenings ;-)
I'm Getting Sick......
08.26.08 (11:35 pm) [edit]of these small town politics and such.
There is a HUGE chance that we're NOT participating in the High Road Tour next year. Certainly not me as any sort of officer or committee chairperson. Ugh.
The only downside is that I won't get in on the gossip. WAIT!! How is that a downside? Because we need to know what "everyone else" is up to? Gawd, isn't that awful?
I'm resigning from all these community shennagigans in order to get back to my personal mission of making art and making a living. On my own terms. And to re-acquaint myself with my most awesome, handsome, and delightfully quirky husband.
Truchas--go fight yourself!! We are Switzerland!!
back on line
08.26.08 (8:08 pm) [edit]Oh yeah, Windstream had a "network error" for about 24 hours. They just put a recorded message on their phone. "We'll be back up when we're back up." The things we love about New Mexico are the things that drive us NUTS about New Mexico...you learn patience or you move back to the city! We just said OH, it'll be a day or two, and did other stuff. We're learning!!
Sunday we had a lot of gallery visitors, Monday none. Today one--but she doesn't count, she was looking for the Marketplace, the gallery of, uhmm, rather unsophisticated crafts and "arts."
We did get up into the woods today for a Tonka Truckload of Finest Firewood...We've got about 3 cords stacked out back now. A good start, we'll need at least 7 for the winter, maybe a bit more. If we double-stack the entire length of the back wall that'll be about 7 cords. We did the measuring bit so have a clear idea. We're going to make a mark a month (and name the month) so we'll know about how much we use each month...to prepare better for next winter.
I sent in my final quiz for the Real Estate Course today. When I get my score on that I'll have them send my final course's Final Exam to Judith & will take that in the next 2 weeks time. Then!! I will have passed the course, will attend the "Exam Review" class in person in Santa Fe beginning 9/15, and THEN will schedule my state exam. Wow, getting so close. Will be glad to be through it and done with it, get to work for real.
Having fun with knitting in the evenings. It's like a kind of meditation, each little stitch, over and over, quite peaceful, a nice feeling the yarn running through your fingers, and relaxing. Plus, when you are all done...you've made something useful and warm. My husband doesn't even wear sweaters but he's requested one. His yarn cost $95 dollars so we'd better find a good sweater pattern that he will wear. Because I'll have to put about 50 or 60 hours into it as well! No way he's not wearing that! What's that? About a $900 sweater? Damn! I guess people who hand-knit pay themselves about $1 an hour. Won't be selling these wares!
Trishtown pics. Coming up in the next few days. Have some pics ready to post....realize I must take others as we have come along in the house, woodpile, etc. If we don't go into town tomorrow will try to get those taken. (We need to go into town, I just don't want to). But soon, friends, soon, there will be a post with pics on Trishtown. (Don't you hate that "friends?" Way too much Nancy Grace, and we only can bear to look at her for about 5 minutes a time!)
The Flea Report
08.23.08 (10:11 pm) [edit]Up at 4am, at the gate by 6:30, got a spot (one of the last) set up our tent, elegant presentation. No traffic. A few regular flea vendors came over to welcome us and to marvel at the "stunning, spectacular" work but no customers. Hardly even a glance. We had maybe two groups come into the booth for more than 3 seconds. Sigh. I honestly thought we would do really, really well. I truly did.
*I* did well. I got a brand new matrimonial hammock for $60 (for our free stand I got from that last little job) and I found a great Indian pawn bracelet at an unheard of price (let's just say I paid about a quarter of the value for an $800 bracelet)...totally balances out the look on my wrists. Turquoise on the right, something old and red on the left. I'm not really sure what I have, it's not coral or whatever it is they call spiny something...it's either stone or some sort of layered glass? Not sure, but it is fairly old, sterling silver, and is quite handsome, completely complementing the turquoise piece on my right hand. Even my husband likes how it brings out the color of the red gold wedding band and it positively gives life to the little rubies in the engagement ring!
OK, so. The art thing. We know we can do it, we know we can make it look good, we know we need a trailer. Poor little Tonk was positively stuffed to the gills and we actually forgot some important stuff. Tonk is NOT an art show vehicle. We need a little enclosed trailer--if only for the artwork that should not take such a beating. What with the monsoon wind and rain this afternoon I am completely surprised and thankful that we did not lose any pieces. I mean that in the plural. The work is waaaay too susceptible to the hard knocks of quick transport, quirks of weather, craziness of wiring it up in a tent, and the Sahara sandstorms that pass as dust in Tesuque.
The biggest mistake we made is....Yes, Indian market IS the biggest weekend of the year in Santa Fe. And EVERYONE IS at Indian Market. They do NOT find time to come on out to the flea...only the gullible vendors such as we clog the flea. Not customers :-/ Lesson learned.
We both agree we're up for trying it again another, different weekend. It wasn't all bad. I got one and one-half "Minnesota Winter" stocking caps knitted today ;-)
run into Española
08.21.08 (6:23 pm) [edit]I ran in with Husband today to get him registered for welding class, alas, the one he wanted was full. Now that we know the procedure, will get him in early for next semester. I asked about the level of the violin class & when I told the guy I had played traditional celtic he not only rolled his eyes, he rolled his head!! I'm waiting until next semester as "applied violin" doesn't necessarily sound like it's what I want.No reason not to take out the fiddle & tune it up though...and get back into my scales & re-learn my tunes. Next spare minute I have ;-)
We also found the papers needed to file our court action. Took a bit of running around as the place we were supposed to get them burned up (or down, as you like) a few days ago. It was the headline story in this week's Rio Grande Sun.
Tomorrow we'll set up the tent and do a dry-run for our Flea Market setup.
Was making an apple pie for Husband but there's oven goo I forgot about so have to wait for the cleaner to loosen it up. I'll take a Real Estate study and hat knitting break--and put my feet up.
Had lunch yesterday with my future QB--Qualifying Broker--Vicki. It was great, she got me all pumped up again. Even in this awful market she's busier than she can handle. She closed three sales last month and has her fingers in a lucrative property-management setup. She's been in business for herself about 8 months and is already planning to move her offices to a building that she's BUILDING! So it looks promising for me. She's willing to work around any schedule I have and I can work as much or as little as I want, and I can have a home office. What's not to like?
I'm working on my LAST unit in the RE course right now! Then, of course, I've got the final for this course and heavy math review and heavy review in general--that can all happen before my state exam review class on 9/15.
canvasses & hat
08.18.08 (4:13 pm) [edit]Yesterday I stretched 11 of those little canvases (today first gesso coat) and knitted my husband a winter hat. In August you say? Ha! The last few days up here have most definitely been fall days that bode of winter! Rainy, much wind, cold. Today is more pleasant. Anyhow, the hat turned out wonderfully. He chose pumpkin & black and a style called "Minnesota Winter." It fits perfectly and is quite handsome.
I am making myself a granny-square hat to go with my fingerless gloves--it should be quite showy though not nearly as warm as "Minnesota Winter."
Got a late start today as we had 2 sets of drop in visitors this morning (friends) and I got a phone call from a family member. Then we had 2 sets of gallery visitors, both stayed quite some time and really asked a lot of questions about the paintings...they wanted to know technique, inspiration, location...the whole nine yards! They even asked me to bring one painting out from the back. I'm glad to have those kinds of visitors...those are the sorts that lead to sales.
A knife!
08.16.08 (11:54 pm) [edit]John: He has a knife, a knife!
Eleanor of Aquitaine: Of course he has a knife! I have a knife. We all have knives. It's 1183 and we're all barbarians!
A knife!
08.16.08 (11:47 pm) [edit]John: He has a knife, a knife!
Eleanor of Aquitaine: Of course he has a knife! I have a knife. We all have knives. It's 1183 and we're all barbarians!
Torrents & Flea
08.16.08 (7:18 pm) [edit]Wow! What a storm last night! It woke us up at 4am and poured like buckets not drops. Lightening lit up windows on all sides. We got up--it was so severe that the big guy, Elway, was shaking in his boots. I had to sit with him, he does NOT like the boomies.
Today cool, cloudy, & breezy, the lightening has already begun & the rain is moving in. Leonardo out back stacking wood.
We went down to the Flea Market today & checked it out. Good thing too, I need my resale numbers & would not have thought to bring them with me. Next weekend is Indian Market and it is a BIG weekend so we will have to be there AT 6:30 or before to get a space. Also, we have to pay cash, another thing I would not have thought of. Other rules as it is on Indian Land (Teseque Pueblo) so they are strict about lots of things. But we should be fine. It was good to check out the booth configurations--we'll be able to bring everything we need. Looking forward to it--hope we do well.
Now it's time to put the finishing touches on those fingerless gloves--from the looks of things I'll be needing them sooner than I'd anticipated.
Plus, we got a call from a California friend who will be out for a visit next month. Yay!
Torrents & Flea
08.16.08 (6:42 pm) [edit]Wow! What a storm last night! It woke us up at 4am and poured like buckets not drops. Lightening lit up windows on all sides. We got up--it was so severe that the big guy, Elway, was shaking in his boots. I had to sit with him, he does NOT like the boomies.
Today cool, cloudy, & breezy, the lightening has already begun & the rain is moving in. Leonardo out back stacking wood.
We went down to the Flea Market today & checked it out. Good thing too, I need my resale numbers & would not have thought to bring them with me. Next weekend is Indian Market and it is a BIG weekend so we will have to be there AT 6:30 or before to get a space. Also, we have to pay cash, another thing I would not have thought of. Other rules as it is on Indian Land (Teseque Pueblo) so they are strict about lots of things. But we should be fine. It was good to check out the booth configurations--we'll be able to bring everything we need. Looking forward to it--hope we do well.
Now it's time to put the finishing touches on those fingerless gloves--from the looks of things I'll be needing them sooner than I'd anticipated.
Plus, we got a call from a California friend who will be out for a visit next month. Yay!
Crap!
08.15.08 (11:48 pm) [edit]Little dog was spoken for already! I was waiting for a picture! You would think they would have let me know before I write back and give the "Why I Would be the Most Awesome Dog-Mom" essay.
Merde Slimey Grande. Sigh.
Crap!
08.15.08 (11:44 pm) [edit]Little dog was spoken for already! I was waiting for a picture! You would think they would have let me know before I write back and give the "Why I Would be the Most Awesome Dog-Mom" essay.
Merde Slimey Grande. Sigh.
Crap!
08.15.08 (11:08 pm) [edit]Little dog was spoken for already! I was waiting for a picture! You would think they would have let me know before I write back and give the "Why I Would be the Most Awesome Dog-Mom" essay.
Merde Slimey Grande. Sigh.
Sometimes I get myself in trouble because I act too fast and don't think things through. Then other times I get in trouble because I think too much and do not jump on opportunities when they present themselves.
A better balance must be found between these two states of perception.
New pup?
08.15.08 (9:16 pm) [edit]I found this ad on Craigslist and have been emailing them...doesn't he sound like a good fit? Not mindFUL like Willie, but WANTS TO MIND and is GOOD WITH CATS! I'm trying to set up a meeting to see this little guy in person. I'm not telling my husband because he's of the mind lately to say NO to DOG even before he hears the good parts. Here's the ad:
Tell me what YOU think. (I'll do what I want regardless, but go ahead and share!)
Bueno!